The French expression “levée de boucliers” literally means a raising of the shields. It dates back to ancient Roman times, when soldiers who opposed the wishes of their generals would raise their shields above their heads as a demonstration of their disapproval. Since the middle of the 15th century, this saying has come to mean a revolt, a general demonstration of hostility, an outcry or an uproar. The closest expressions in English are “a general outcry,” “a public outcry” or “an uproar.”

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